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“Let’s go,” Mint says, pulling on the sleeve of my jacket

I shake off Mint, and the crude fat guy doesn’t exist any longer The y or thoughts I don’t waste et out of there I hate the noise, and I’ve never been a fan of gaainst it in principle I just find it boring

“I still have chips left,” Mint says “How about another go at the poker table?”

I hasten my steps “No, thanks I have to be up early for work”

The red carpet with the golden sun imprints smells like stale popcorn Outside the fast food court, I step on soooey

Cursing, I lift um is stuck on the sole of my sandal Great This date was a mistake I never should’ve let Mint wear me down It took him a year to talk me into it Why did I accept? Because everyone deserves a fair chance There’s soht , it’s that there are always exceptions

After rubbing the gum off on the carpet as best as I can, I continue on my way

“So,” Mint says, running a step to catch up withto whack another million in less than a year I reckon I’ll buy a house in Durban” When I don’t reply, he says, “On the beach” Still not getting a reaction, he adds, “Frontline beach”

We hit the cashier desk where the aircon blows at full force Goosebumps run over my skin

“Yeah” I zip my leather jacket up over my camisole “I’m happy for you”

“Jeez, that’s so decent of you Most people are jealous of my success”

For crying out loud Doesn’t he get I was being sarcastic?

Rubbing the sore ister I’ double shifts of filing at the bank archive where I work as a cashier, and I still feel the strain inbent over boxes of papers for hours I wasted precious sleep in lieu of veggie burgers and fries with Mint at Sun City, ominously called Sin City by the folks in our toho conde happens on as previously the other side of the South African border, on the Bophuthatswana side Sol Kerzner didn’t have a choice When he built the casino, gaal in South Africa Bophuthatswana had since been reintegrated into South Africa